PYTHONISSAM SERPENS SCRIPTOR
by noctrum
Summary: Nec Eorum - a spell with the ability to cloak one's presence, or even the structure of somewhere, from those with evil intent. 'Lost Emporium' is protected by such magic; the bookshop she had inherited within the city comprised of heroes & villains. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE.


**A/N:** _Hello!_ It's so good to be posting this, I have been wanting to do it for awhile now! I am a huge Venomous & Boxman fan but this idea has been bouncing around in my head for ages! I really hope you guys enjoy this story!

**SUMMARY:** Nec Eorum - a spell with the ability to cloak one's presence, or even the structure of somewhere, from those with evil intent. 'Lost Emporium' is protected by such magic; the bookshop she had inherited within the city comprised of heroes & villains. Never before had she been interested in the endeavours of hero or villain; though she perceives herself to be neutral, she possesses the kindest of hearts. This compassion compelled her to save one man and unknowingly intertwine their complicated fates - Professor Venomous is an individual unlike anyone she had ever encountered before and one she would soon know on the most deepest of levels. Secrets are shared, pasts exposed and the most unlikely of friendships formed...

* * *

Haggard breaths resounded throughout the vicinity of the alleyway, gloved hand pressed to the brick - wall for purchase as a hooded figure slouched forward; free hand curling into the material of his overcoat, right over his heart - of which was beating at what seemed to be one - hundred miles per second. There was an excruciating pain, a wave of agony over his subconscious, as though two sides were warring with one another in an endless cycle for control. Control over the body, the mind torn between who to obey; this was what he had been fearing when he had noted the length of time he had spent sustaining this form. He had yet to attain the power necessary for ultimate dominion over his own psyche and to eradicate the OTHER from himself - it would all require precious time, time needed to accumulate the strength necessary for the endeavour. Right now, he was scarily weakening and the pressure on that locked door in the back of his head was increasing tenfold. He needed to keep moving, to return to the lair before it happened. He couldn't risk succumbing in this unknown location, where anybody could happen upon him and wonder about his presence; he couldn't risk HIM discovering the truth behind everything and obstructing his carefully constructed plans for domination.

"_Damn…_" Guttural groan of fatigue, laced with his irritation at the situation, emitted and knees finally gave out; tall form slamming to the grimy ground below, dampness from the descending rain staining his clothing. Eyes struggled to stay open and the man was forced to tear his hood off, exposing wayward, obsidian tendrils to the elements. "I need to keep moving...I need…"

The abyss was beckoning, venturing closer and closer -

"_Hello?_ Is someone there?"

Panic set in with quick succession at the fact that he had been caught. Was it a hero? Another villain? Either way, it wouldn't do him any good and it would be especially worse for him if it was a hero. Footsteps, strangely loud in his ears over the patter of rain, drew ever closer to his prone form and, painfully so, he began to draw on all his remaining power; if he had to fight his way out of this, then so be it. Fangs gritted, dark - hued eyes narrowed with ferocity and he turned his head to regard this oncoming foe; ignoring the wave of dizziness that suddenly washed over him.

His glare connected with a pair of luminescent amber.

"O-Oh, goodness! Sir? Are you alright?" Her worried inquiry echoed in her melodic tone of voice; this woman whom had seemingly appeared from nowhere and every ounce of rage evaporated in the face of her shocking concern. Another crash pulled him towards unconsciousness abruptly and his head fell back as a result, another groan leaving him - though this one softer than the last.

"Hang on, p-please! You...You need to stay awake!" Her plea battered at his eardrums and he found himself caring little for it, for her words were spoken in vain. There was no way he could stay awake and that other presence slowly began to overtake his senses just as the need for sleep, too, caused his body to give in…

He just sincerely hoped it was not all over.

That this small blunder was nothing more than just that _**\- a blunder.**_

* * *

A pungent smell permeated his senses and slowly drew Venomous into the land of consciousness, his eyes fluttering open and confused gaze meeting a dark ceiling; wooden framed and evidently olden, one that would never have been seen in a modern home. Certainly not his lair. The realisation was a smack in the face, mind soon returning to reality and he was becoming aware of his surroundings. This...wasn't his home.

His long form was strewn across a soft, cushioned surface and his narrowed stare trailed down to the top of what appeared to be a chaise. His confusion increased further and he breathed a sigh; one of tiredness as he winced with his motions, Venomous sitting up to allow his gaze to peruse the entirety of the room he was in. There was an obvious absence of windows, though there was a low hue of light emanating from the candles that were scattered along the shelves that housed leather - tomed books, jars of substances there were foreign to him, a scientist, and other oddities that baffled him. He was in a basement of some sort, one altered into a workstation for something unknown to the villain; even more odd, was the billowing flames originating from the fireplace - intricate designs decorating the length of the mantle, housing crystals balls and an array of quills in stands. The strange thing about this, despite everything else, was the lavender glow of the flames - the beauteous shade that was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Where the hell was he? What in the world was going on?

"_Ah_, you're awake! I was starting to worry!"

Head whipped around, warning snarl leaving the male at who had dared to surprise him; though, soon, his expression shifted to one of astonishment at the sight before him. It was a woman and one who was wearing the brightest smile he had ever seen, stupidly kind at that and he was shocked to see that it was directed at him. Heaping waves of raven - black cascaded down the slender line of her back, an untamed nature to it, as if the hair was sentient with the way in which it swayed & bounced with each step she took. She was on the short side, possibly reaching his shoulder in height, maybe ven shorter, and petite with slim shoulders and torso. Though, there was an endowed curve to her hips that inclined him to believe that she was at least in her 20s.

It was her eyes that ensnared him, however; large, doe - like orbs of amber, with sweeping lashes that beat against the tips of her rosy cheeks as she blinked. They were honest and open, no guarded deception to be seen. There was something familiar about those eyes, as if he had seen them before...He was frustrated to realise he couldn't recall where.

Despite the sincerity of her smile, though, Venomous was immediately on the defensive; his apparent amnesia causing his wariness to heighten and he openly conveyed his suspicion through the glare he cast her way. "Who are you? How did I get here?"

Evidently unperturbed by his harsh tone, the woman proceeded to approach a bubbling cauldron; one that radiated the smell that had first roused him from slumber. "I found you outside, unconscious in the alleyway beside my shop. You were drenched and fatigued but you...didn't have any wounds, which was strange." There was a scrunch to her button nose as she reminisced, idly scraping pieces of some dried substance from a cutting board into the cauldron. "I couldn't just leave you there, though. That wouldn't have been good of me."

"Oh, then you're a hero?" Despite the eye roll partnered with his lazy delivery of the question, there was a tightness in his chest; if she was a hero, then perhaps he was located or rather, imprisoned, in her hideout? And he was unconscious right outside? Venomous couldn't recall the events of last night; he had no idea as to why he would have been found in such a state.

Why couldn't he remember?

There was an airy bout of laughter as she shook her head. "No, I'm not a hero. I live a...different sort of lifestyle."

"Oh?" Venomous cocked an eyebrow as he staggered up into a standing position; hand sliding over his loose strands of hair to push them back and he adjusted his lab coat with experienced finesse, wishing to appear as confident as possible. "Well, I suppose I should count my blessings. It would have been irritating to have been captured by a hero so easily."

"I assumed you were a villain."

"And what gave you that impression?"

"Don't call me prejudiced, but your appearance was a dead giveaway…"

Finally, he allowed a smirk to grace his visage and chuckled darkly; forked tongue sliding out for a brief interval to gloss over his lips. "An astute little thing, aren't you? Observant and stupidly generous, it would seem."

He revelled in the answering pout she gave; her plush cheeks puffed out and eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to express intimidation. "Generosity is not stupid. Would you have preferred if I had left you outside? Perhaps I should have." With that said, she proceeded to scoop a hunking ladle of the brewing liquid into the container held in her grasp; upon doing so, she approached him slowly and that sweet smile of hers returned with a vengeance, though there was a mischievous glimmer to be garnered in her eyes.

"_Drink this_."

The reptilian man eyed her silently for a moment before his gaze moved to focus on the gunk, for lack of a better word, that was swirling inside the container. He had sampled many creations over the years, most being from his days of attempting to regain his old abilities, but this was simply too disgusting "...I think not."

"It has healing properties." She heaved a sigh and shoved the drink into his hand, shocking him with the display. "It will give you your strength back."

"Like you said, I have no injuries nor do I feel faint. I really don't think this is necessary-"

"Please, stop being so stubborn-"

"What's your name?"

The sudden shift in conversation surprised her, such was blatant from the rapid fluttering of her eyelashes as she gaped up at him. After regaining her bearings, dainty hands rested on her hips and her mouth turned downward in distaste; for his rudeness, he imagined. "_Goodness_...It's Bella." Her pout became more prominent to see as the seconds drew on and Venomous would even call the sight adorable, for she reminded him a little of Fink; the sweet nature along with that show of spitfire, it was all very similar to his minion. Speaking of which, the girl was probably going mad with worry for her missing boss...He would have to return soon to avoid any complications. What day was it, anyway? He could recall scheduling a meeting with Boxman regarding the lack of recent delivery. When was that?

"_Bella?_ Well, a rather...anti - climatic introduction. I was expecting something more." Venomous shrugged in dismissal and raised the container to down the beverage in one fell swoop; ignoring any offense caused by his words. He was expecting it to be easy, a way to shut her up, but he wasn;t expecting the horrid taste that soon followed and he found himself choking; dropping the item in hand in favour of coughing loudly. "W-What...was that?!"

"A concoction of mine that rids the body of toxins and strengthens the senses. Quite potent, yes?" Her gentle giggles sounded and he could hear her bright smile. "I should have warned you in advance! My apologies, sir! You should be feeling better now, though!"

As a matter of fact, he actually did feel a surge of energy within him ; his body immediately feeling lighter, less weary and in spite of the horrific aftertaste that remained, Venomous could admit that he was impressed. So much so that he regarded her curiously, absentmindedly wiping his mouth and tilting his head to the side. "Are you a bioengineer?"

There was the innocence of that eyelash flutter again, the length of her dark lashes enhancing the glow of those eyes. "No, I'm not. Though, I suppose magic and science are similar in certain aspects?"

"Magic?"

"Well...I'm a witch. I thought that was obvious from my workspace!"

He was silent for a few seconds, blinking boredly and processing what she had just revealed to him. Venomous was aware that there were wonders present in the modern world, inexplicable entities that would never be truly understood to the occupants of the land; he, himself, was one of these creatures, though the full reality of such was still unknown to the villain. Never before, however, had he encountered a witch; a sorceress with a mastery of power that he would never have the ability to use - from what he had been told, they were born with their innate knack for magic and it would become evident from a young age. There were so few left in the world, though, and he had honestly only believed it all to be mere myth; even heroes claiming to be witches, he had never really believed them. He remained ever suspicious, even after meeting many individuals of the 'supernatural' proportion.

He had certainly never expected to be rescued by a witch.

"...Witch wouldn't have been my _first _guess. _Vampire_, perhaps. All you need is a coffin down here and you're all set."

"...You are incredibly rude. Were you never taught _manners?_"

"And you're unbearably _good_." Hand was shoved into the pocket of his lab coat and he made a beeline for the door, the heels of his boots echoing off the stone floor. "It's a little nauseating."

"W-Where are you going? You shouldn't be moving around so much!"

"You're little potion worked, so I see no point in continuing to stay here. I have things to do, heroes to vanquish, and weaponry to build." Toothy grin was tossed over his shoulder. "No time to waste on a _small _witch."

"Wha - What do you mean by '_small'?!_" He was already out the passage and hurrying up the stairs towards a secondary door above; the wooden panels of the steps squeaking with each pressure of his boot. She was barrelling after him, her tiny feet making lighter noises of impact with her ascension. "A-And you never told me your name! I think I deserve to know, I did save your life!"

"You think so?" He shoved open the second down that he dearly hoped carved the pathway to freedom, only to be frozen when he saw a long shelf of books standing before him. Bemused, Venomous turned his head and his mouth dropped open at the number of shelves to be seen; each labelled with a different genre for the books placed there. He then caught sight of a window at the front, one bearing writing that he could only just make out from his position at the back. It took him a moment to decipher, as it was painted for those on the outside.

**LOST EMPORIUM. **

**BOOKSELLERS C. 1850. **

He heard distinct panting behind him and stepped aside to allow Bella's entrance, his astounded state surely obvious to her. "_A-Ah_...I'm not very good with stairs…" A deep breath was taken and she entered his peripheral, arms crossed over her small chest and she stared up at him with wide eyes. "You can't just ignore me, you know. I did rescue you and for you to come bursting into my shop too…"

Shaking his head to break from his own trance, he frowned a little and peered down at her. "Your shop?"

"My _bookshop_, to be more precise. To think, I just re - opened the place a few weeks ago and I am already dealing with something like this…" Bella's soft voice trailed off into a murmur as she left his side to meander through an aisle; still a tad astonished, he ambled after her at a slower pace and couldn't avert his gaze from the rows of books that flanked him - there were so many of them and he could tell which ones were the rarer find purely from the covers. Venomous knew this city inside out, all the knowledge derived from both his heroic adventures and his villainous practices, and he was certain there had never been a Victorian - esque bookshop like this before.

"...You opened a few weeks ago, you said?" That was it; he wouldn't have been aware yet, as he had been in a state of laziness/boredom for some time now.

"_Re-opened. _It used to belong to my grandmother, but she grew ill years back and had to close." There was a solemnity to be noted in her words and Venomous' stoic stare landed on her; watching her take a standing position behind the front counter - there was a rather outdated cash register, an enormous one at that, alongside a slim book with a messy scrawl of the word 'ORDERS'. "She has since passed and I've inherited the place."

"I would have remembered a store like this...but I can't."

His suspicion must have been obvious to her for Bella breathed a quiet laugh, she seemed to be doing a lot of that, and lowered her head; a melancholic lilt to her plump lips, fingers tracing over the mahogany structure of the countertop. "There's a particular spell in place to protect the shop from those with evil intent. _Nec Eorum_, I believe it's called. It was erected by one of my past relatives, many decades ago."

"A cloaking spell..._Impressive_." Most impressive; so it hid the establishment from those with ill intentions and possibly those who had no need for it. No villain would be aware of it, then. Well, all with the exception of him, now…

Venomous felt his mouth stretch with his wolfish smile, eyes darkening and his bout of chuckling an ominous sound to be heard in the vicinity. "Well, it would be a _shame _if my _colleagues _knew of it…"

"...Yes, it would be a shame." Her own gentle grin was not expected and his laughter was rightly cut short. "...but I know you won't tell anyone."

"_Oh?_" A growl tore from his throat and his serpent eyes narrowed into slits; how dare she believe to know him, how presumptuous of her. No one would ever truly know him. No one would ever be permitted to enter his heart again. Not after the betrayal all those years ago; he refused to be weak in the eyes of another again. "And how do you know that?"

"I just know."

"_Ha!_ You presume too much, little girl." Whirling around, the hem of his coat fluttering around his legs, Venomous marched for the front door and slammed it open so harshly that he nearly tore it from its hinges; an angered hiss emitting from him as he did so. Before exiting, and hopefully never seeing her annoying face again, he glared vehemently over his shoulder. "I'm grateful for the help you gave me, as misplaced as it was...but if we ever encounter one another again…" Another hiss resounded. "...I will show you _no _mercy. You're no more than another _pathetic _do - gooder to me."

The banging of the door created a symphony around her, the following silence only causing Bella's grin to soften to a small smile of contentment, the sudden breeze enticing the length of her flowing, floral - patterned skirt to sway around her shins.

"Until then, _Professor Venomous_."

There was a flick of fingers and a business card materialised.

_**One decorated with a familiar serpent.**_

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you liked it! I'm really excited for this ;v; ! Just a little announcement, though, that I can be very slow with updates but I know people will be patient! And also, Bella's hair is similar to Wilhamena's! : Darker, though, and she has bangs! I love bIG HAIR!

Reviews are welcomed & constructive criticism only, please!


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